SquierStrat
Member
i just asked about this on their facebook page and they said theyre still planning on first quarter this year.
Whistler @ the CES 2014
- Thread starter cookmaster
- Start date
- Status
i just asked about this on their facebook page and they said theyre still planning on first quarter this year.
KC0CSE
Member
YA!!!!!! I cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!! it is time for a little competition Uniden
......
troymail
Silent Key
Give 'em time.... I myself am extremely happy to see former GRE radios back in production. Six months ago there was no competition at all ... The fact that these radios are being shown at CES is clear indication that the competition is coming back and we'll soon have choices. I suspect the first step is seeing the market for the products and get cash flowing to cover the cost of acquiring GREs IP. And keep in mind that the IP (hopefully) includes the PSR800 which has been on the street for a while now providing the (current) only X2 and Phase 2 capability on the market (for a couple more weeks anyway). So it's probably just a matter of time.
As for what the radios "look like" - you're looking at the wrong thing. You should be thinking about what it "sounds like".... I don't buy scanners to look at them...
I buy scanners to listen to them.
And assuming their manufacturing (initially at least) the product that the former GRE did -- and then making improvements (in time), that's excellent news.
As for what the radios "look like" - you're looking at the wrong thing. You should be thinking about what it "sounds like".... I don't buy scanners to look at them...
I buy scanners to listen to them.And assuming their manufacturing (initially at least) the product that the former GRE did -- and then making improvements (in time), that's excellent news.
Did better decoding/opening push Uniden to improve against GRE before? From the analog side, my BC-125AT was noticeably slower than my PRO-404 and they were released quite a few years apart. I know the focus has been digital but GRE still had the upper hand on proper decoding, as far as I understand it. I think it will take quite a shot across the bow for Uniden to pay any attention to Whistler. Whether it be through price or innovation, I don't see scanner wars immediately forthcoming. They seem quite comfortable in their catbird seat, as usual, as evidenced by the specs of the new HP models. Some neat features but far from future-proof or even current technology-proof.
Last edited:
SquierStrat
Member
true, but the "looks" of the speaker on the bottom will affect the "sound" for me. (scanner in the cup holder)As for what the radios "look like" - you're looking at the wrong thing. You should be thinking about what it "sounds like".... I don't buy scanners to look at them...
that wont stop me from buying one tho..
ButchGone
Member
Big YAWN... These are just the same, tired old designs from GRE. Unless Whistler has changed something, looks like the same flimsy plastic bodies and knobs, tinny hissy audio and receiver front ends as wide as a barn door so that the radios are overloaded.
I would love some good competition, because that always breeds better products. But if Whistler is just going to rebrand a tired old design then they will become the "el-cheapo" brand. At least current GRE owners will get support for their stuff.
Pardon me, while I yawn again!
BG..
I would love some good competition, because that always breeds better products. But if Whistler is just going to rebrand a tired old design then they will become the "el-cheapo" brand. At least current GRE owners will get support for their stuff.
Pardon me, while I yawn again!
BG..
Yeah, they are the same thing rebadged, that's pretty obvious. Flimsy bodies...check. Cheap knobs...check. Hissy audio...check. Let me add...noisy on the VHF airband, a ridiculously small and outdated display, a lousy front end in most bands, and no VFO knob.
Now, with that said...
For anyone wanting to hear P25 simulcast systems like the one here in Phoenix (that's a large and growing number of people), there is STILL nothing better, period. P25 audio sounds nearly as good as analog, while the Unidens sound robotic (yes even with updated firmware). The sensitivity / ability to decode distant P25 systems is FAR superior to Uniden, it's not even close! Though the Uniden has more quick keys than the GREs have scan lists, the GREs have far more memory, so by using virtual scanners you can scan more combinations of things, period. I max out the memory on my Unidens. The GRE has a VASTLY superior data transfer speed also. I recently bought another mint condition PSR-600 off of CL for $240. Try finding a mint 996 for that price!
And yeah, I've owned the PSR-600 and BCD996 (now own the BCD996XT), and their portable brothers since they came out, and bought the new version of each Uniden along with the RS versions of the GREs as soon as they came out, so I know what I am talking about. My BCD996XT scanner is used for analog (it has features that the BCT15X can't match), and the GRE scanners cannot match it at that, but for the RWC simulcast system it's GRE, GRE, and GRE.
So ease up on GRE, because they still do digital better than anything else out there, for a really reasonable price.
Last edited:
Interesting Whistler at CES is telling Wholesalers scanners out first of March.
Info direct to me from the Owner of a Large Scanner Wholesaler.
Info direct to me from the Owner of a Large Scanner Wholesaler.
I did stop by with our President to just make a courtesy stop and a "Welcome to the neighborhood" call. I glanced at the product, but didn't try to sneak any information out of them (no need, when I can read everything I need here ). No wig, funny glasses, or skirt required.
). No wig, funny glasses, or skirt required.never know the specs....
Never know the specs until rerelease.Perhaps new insides to old chasis? dont forget aquiring gre's patents and rights all the work is done for whistler besides manufacturing and perhaps newer cpu's and reciever boards have gone into these "old models"... "just a thought" like when they used to upgrade cpu's almost all similar accept the cpu upgrade supported more and more technologically advanced systems... This is possible since TDMA had already been implemented into the psr 800 and plans for the 900... meens all the dsp/cpu "commands and protocols/ software" has already existed and Whistler aquired those rights and patents... Untill i know for sure UNIDEN has my money...
just a thought lol
Never know the specs until rerelease.Perhaps new insides to old chasis? dont forget aquiring gre's patents and rights all the work is done for whistler besides manufacturing and perhaps newer cpu's and reciever boards have gone into these "old models"... "just a thought" like when they used to upgrade cpu's almost all similar accept the cpu upgrade supported more and more technologically advanced systems... This is possible since TDMA had already been implemented into the psr 800 and plans for the 900... meens all the dsp/cpu "commands and protocols/ software" has already existed and Whistler aquired those rights and patents... Untill i know for sure UNIDEN has my money...
just a thought lol
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2007
- Messages
- 7,349
Good for you.... I have always believed that even in business, it's always a good thing that "neighbors" be courteous, respectful, and friendly towards one another. In times of serious problems or disaster, you may find (as I did) that those neighbors may very well be the first ones that offer a helping hand.
.
accourding to thier press release link on facebook that links to
Whistler Announces Entry into Radio Scanner Market
Whistler is proud to enter the scanning receiver business, picking up popular scanner models often characterized by hobbyists as easiest to program and use. Whistler scanners will include handheld and desktop/mobile digital scanners with full keyboard, a handheld scanner with USA/Canada database built in, and two models of VHF/UHF non-trunking scanners. The assortment will include the first and only scanner that works on newer modulation protocols including P25-Phase II.
wonder what "works on newer modulation protocols including phase II" might be" note the S after protocol
Uniden thankfully has listened to our requests and had implemented PHASE 2 and wifi and more location based gps...
Last edited:
stingray327
Member
So which will be the better product? Whistler or Uniden? This would be for preprogrammed scanners like Uniden 436 and 536.
bigcam406
Member
only time will tell.
We will see when those new models come out how they compare to uniden's,and if there are anything that might be better and different,any competition would be great. I personally hope to be surprised at anything better that comes out with the Whistler brand scanners....
And my prediction about Whistler was spot on:
http://forums.radioreference.com/gre-scanners/274889-whistler-gre-low-end-market.html
They're bringing out old outdated equipment to offer at their customer's price point of under $200.
Last edited:
At best, the jury is still out on your predictions. We don't know the price, we don't know that "they won't sell" because they aren't even on the market yet, and Whistler is saying they will sell a Phase II scanner. So I wouldn't call that "spot on".
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
- Messages
- 47
Uniden may have addressed at least some if not most of your concerns in addition to adding at least one new customer requested feature with the x36 line, and the question is whether Whistler is willing to do the same? No clue what the rules/regulations are with regard to these sorts of devices and technologies, but I can see Whistler potentially incorporating their radar technology and/or GPS capabilities into a mobile based scanner for those that travel. Time will tell.
As they stated, they left 2 models behind, and if you have any brains you look at what other 2 top end models GRE had going... Umm that would be the PSR-800 and PRO-18's... Those two will also be getting sold by Radio Shack and possibly other markets. They will be bringing out thier own new products as fast as they can. Keep dissing them all you want, doubting and whining, it makes it more fun to laugh later when you eat humble pie. The PSR-800 tech is not outdated, so not sure where you get off tossing that part in. The new Unidens really don't offer anything new as far as systems types etc go, they offer P25 Phase II, and hmm since that is so old and outdated why would you think of them as anything better than Whistler? They added a couple of other features NOT radio systems related, just fancy bells and whistles that folks somehow seem to think make them better? Have they learned how to adopt to the simulcast P25 issues, that GRE actually had them beat on monitoring? We will see in a few months once a LOT of real world testing gets done by consumers. As for Whistler's future, just sit back and enjoy the show thats just getting started. New pure Whistler products will be coming out within 1-3 years tops. And we still have faith that possibly DMR, and NXDN conventional will happen. DMR, and NXDN Trunking.... That might not be happening since there currently is no open standard format of either. There is proprietary MotoTRBO, and NexEDGE. Brings back memories of certain proprietary formats of Motorola and Harris that are both going the way of the Dodo bird. So just chillax and enjoy the games.
SquierStrat
Member
very well said milf.. could you imagine a 7 year old "outdated" scanner STILL handling simulcast better then the new unidens? lol. and its entirely possible too! just have to wait and see..
- Status
